I just returned from a trip to China. In Shanghai I took the opportunity to visit the Xiangyang market. I had been there once before, and to a couple of Beijing markets a few years ago. One thing really struck me at these last two visits; how much better the copies have become!

Now, there is still a lot of crap on offer. But there are also bags, belts and clothes that at least to my untrained eye look fairly high-quality.

There’s just this thing; they insist on slapping ridiculously unrealistic, and sometimes just plain wrong, logos on them. “Gucci” written in the wrong typeface, a Polo horse that looks nothing like the real thing, or “Boss” on the back of a tie, written on a kind of cheap plastic label I doubt they would ever use.

Why?

Fact is, a lot of these product would fare pretty well on their own merits. Just invent your own brand name. Sales, at least to foreigners, would increase.